Newly Admitted Undergrads

You can submit a Request for Revision to report any new information to our office. During April we will make every effort to respond to your request promptly. If there are changes later in the year, or in future years, you can submit a revision request at that time. For Restrictive Early Action Admits, new information submitted to our office will be reviewed along with your FAFSA in preparation for a finalized award to be sent April 1.

Stanford does not match merit-based awards from other universities. However, if you receive a need-based award significantly better than Stanford's, the other university may have new information about your circumstances. In this case, you may consider submitting a Request for Revision to our office.

1. Create your SUNet ID and Password.
2. Log on to AXESS.
3. At the top of the AXESS page, hover over STUDENT.
4. Under Quick Links, select View Award Letters.

It can take up to 24 hours after creating your SUNet ID before the STUDENT tab becomes available in AXESS.  If you have any issues, feel free to contact the Financial Aid Office.

The family that has equity in a home is typically in a stronger financial position than one that does not. For that reason, we believe that it is important to include home equity in the consideration of a family's ability to pay for educational costs. However, a large amount of equity is not particularly helpful if the family income does not support use of that equity. In Stanford's calculation of the expected parent contribution, we cap the amount of home equity considered at 1.2 times the total family income.

For applicants who report total annual parent income up to $125,000, we generally consider "typical assets" to be an adjusted total net worth of less than $300,000. Adjusted total net worth usually reflects the sum of the following amounts:

• Cash, savings, checking
• Investments
• Home equity, capped at 1.2 times annual income
• Equity in real estate other than the home
• Business net worth

We do not include formal retirement assets (401k, 403b, IRA, Keogh) in our analysis. The Financial Aid Office reserves the right to make the final determination of the expected family contribution, in consideration of all factors affecting a family's overall financial situation and ability to pay.

Many families choose to use the Federal PLUS Loan to help with educational costs. A PLUS loan allows your parents to borrow the amount of the parent contribution, and extends repayment of the loan over 10 years. As a student you may also borrow student loans through our office to help meet your expenses.

Your award letter may list documents or information you must submit to our office before we can finalize your award. It is possible that your award will change if the information you submit is different than originally reported to us.

The University has over 1,200 named scholarships. By completing the CSS Profile, you have already been considered for all sources of scholarship funding. Students who qualify for need-based aid from Stanford are initially awarded scholarship from the Stanford Fund. During the course of the academic year, the Financial Aid Office will reallocate funds to award these named scholarships. This does not affect the calculated family contribution. When you accept scholarship funds from Stanford, your name, major and hometown will be released to the donor of that scholarship. In most cases, you will be expected to write a thank-you letter to the person who made your scholarship possible.

In most cases you can meet your academic year earnings expectation without jeopardizing your academic priorities. If you choose not to work, you can reduce or eliminate your earnings expectation with outside awards or student loans.  

You will receive an electronic billing statement well in advance of each academic quarter. Your bill will include tuition, room and board, and other charges for the quarter. Payments are due on September 15 (Autumn quarter), December 15 (Winter) and March 15 (Spring).

Your financial aid award letter shows the amount of aid that you will receive for each quarter. If your quarter's aid is less than the balance due, you are responsible for paying the remaining balance and all other expenses with your own funds. However, if your quarter's aid exceeds your balance due, you will receive a refund for the amount of the overage.